The Dough

1. In a small bowl or measuring cup, add your yeast, sugar and 1/2 cup (4oz) of warm water. Let sit for 5 minutes in a warm place. (I usually stick in my microwave)
2. Fit your KitchenAid mixer with the dough hook.
3. Add your flour, salt and olive oil into the bowl of your mixer, gently mix on low until combined.
4. After 5 minutes, your water/yeast mixture should have bubbled up, with your mixer on low, slowly add in.
5. Fill another 1/2 cup (4oz) of warm water and slowly continue adding in. Your dough should begin to come together and form a smooth, elastic ball of dough.
6. Continue to let mix for 5 minutes on medium speed.
7. Once the dough has formed, remove and add a few drops of olive oil to the bowl and place dough back into bowl and coat with oil.
8. Cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm place, if your oven has a proof setting even better!!!
9. Let rise for 1-2 hours until the dough doubles in size.

Pizza Making

1. Place your racks to the lowest 2 spaces in your oven.
2. Preheat your oven to 550 F and place 2 sheet pans or your pizza stone to heat up as well.
3. Once your dough is ready, remove from bowl and divide into 2 even balls. (If you want to freeze one, coat the dough lightly in olive oil and wrap in plastic wrap then place in ziplock bag. The dough will freeze well up to 3 months.)
4. Work with one dough piece at a time and leave the other covered with a damp towel until ready to use.
5. Flour your clean surface well and begin to work your dough, first with your hands to smooth out then gently with a floured rolling pin.
6. Begin to roll and shape to your desired thickness. I tend to roll mine pretty thin and leave a bit of a thicker edge for a nice crust. One of my dough pieces is usually an oval shape and covers most of the half-sheet pan.
7. Remove one of the hot sheet pans or pizza stone from the oven and drizzle a bit of olive oil, let it spread and coat the pan.
8. Quickly, place your rolled pizza dough onto the hot oiled pan. It will sizzle a bit, stretch and adjust to your liking.
9. Then proceed to layer your sauce and toppings. Repeat with additional pizzas.
10. Bake pizzas for 10-12 minutes rotating at the halfway mark.
11. Remove from oven, let cool slightly, slice and enjoy!